Automatic overedging machine



May 13, 1952 F. R, PIPER Erm.

AUTOMATIC OVEREDGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 15, 1950 I N VENTOR5 er BY '6MM 19M? )Z Mw@ ATTORNEYS May 13, 1952 F. R. PIPER ETAL 2,596,168

AUTOMATIC OVEREDGING MACHINE Filed May l5, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTORS ATTORNEYS s; se

May 13, 1952 F. R. PIPER ETAL 2,596,168

AUTOMATIC OVEREDGING MACHINE Filed May 15, 195o 7 sheets-sheet 5 INVENOR: am 230er @69, Jyes G25/'aber ATTORNEYS May 13, 1952 Filed May 15, 1950 F. R. PIPER ETAL AUTOMATIC OVEREDGING MACHINE 7 sheetsshet 4 ELE 4.

ATTORNEYS May 13, 1952 F. R. PIPER Erm. 2,596,163

AUTOMATIC OVEREDGING MACHINE WMM,

ATTORNEYS `May 13, 1952 F. R. PIPER ETA!` 2,596,158

AUTOMATIC OVREDGING MAGHINE Filed May l5, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 k T15 E.

ATTORNEYS May 13, 1952 E. R. PIPER E-rm. 2,596,168

AUTOMATIC OVEREDGING MACHINE Filed May l5, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 'Y EIS E. 80 79 74 ATTORNEYS Patented May 13, 1952 AUTOMATIC OVEREDGIN G MACHINE Frank R. Piper and James M.

Gardner, Fairfax,

Ala., assignors to West Point Manufacturing Company, Alabama West Point, Ga., a corporation of Application May 15, 1950, Serial No. 161,932

(Cl. 112214:)v

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to sewing mechanism, and particularly to mechanism for automatically and continuously applying overedging or overseaming to an elongated cloth length. It is a primary object of the invention to provide a machine adapted to apply overedging or other stitching to an elongated moving cloth length in a continuous and uniform manner.

A further object is to provide in; sewing .mechanism means for quickly and simultaneously stopping the stitching and feeding mechanism upon interruption of the stitching operation for any reason.

A further object of the invention is to provide in continuously and automatically operating sewing mechanism means for unreelmg a `cloth supply roll without affecting the uniformity or continuity ofthe sewing operation.

Another object is to provide automatic sewing mechanism particularly adapted for operation in battery.

Further objects of .the invention will `be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter,

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, adapted for the application of overedging to `an elongated cloth length;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the mechanism of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an end elevational View of the mechanism, taken on` the line 3-3 rof Figure `1;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the device, looking toward the discharge end;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 5 5` of Figure ,2;

Figure 6 is a sectional. elevational view, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure l;

Figure' is a view taken on the line '1 -1 of Figure 6, showing detailsl of the feed roll control switch operating mechanism;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view ltaken on .the line 8-8 of Figure 2, showing details of the outfeed control mechanism of the device;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, showing further details of the outfeed control mechanism, and

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the electrical and pneumatic systems of the device.

Referring tothe drawings, in Figuresl and 2 isfshown an exemplary embodiment of the invided preferably with suitably roughened sur-- faces, between which the cloth passes. The cloth is fed by the feed rolls into a trough |19, wherein it forms a freely depending loop 20, and then passes over guide roller 2l to the platform 22 of the device. Guide collars 23 are adjustably positioned on the guide roller to assure proper alignment of the cloth length transversely thereof.

The cloth length is drawn across the table or platform 22` by a pair of outfeed rolls 24, suitably mounted on the machine frame at the discharge end thereof. To tension the cloth length in its traverse over the platform, a friction bar 25 is employed thereover at the platform end opposite the outfeed rolls, the friction bar being retained in adjacency to the platform at one end by stud 2S and at the other end by Wing nut 21, the ends of the friction bar being suitably slotted to retain these elements. Intermediate the friction bar and the outfeed rolls, and disposed at one side of platform .22 is a conventional sewing machine 28, adapted in this example to apply overedging to the split edge o the cloth length. Thread to the sewing machine is supplied from suitably mounted bobbins 29. The stitching mechanism is well known in the art and is not in itself a part of the present invention, so that it requires no detailed description.

As best shown in Figure 4, the shaft 3@ of lower outfeed roll 24 is rotatably mounted in. bearings 3i?. fixed to the machine frame. Adjacent its ends, shaft supports the aperturedends 33 of guide members 34, which extend thereabove and retain the guide blocks affixed to respective ends of shaft36 of the upper outfeed roll. Guide members 34 also enclose springs 31, which act aga-inst the stops 38 and constantly urge the guide blocks downwardly, thereby urging the upper outfeed roll toward the lower. As best shown in Figure `5, guide members 34 are joined at their upper ends by a beam 39. which is braced to the machine frame by strap `4l). One guide member has a plate 4! xed thereto (Figure 1), which supportsgpivot ,42 ofthe roll .lifting lever/13, -As

shown in Figure 4, one end of lever 43 is disposed immediately below shaft 39 of the upper outfeed roll, in lifting engagement therewith.

The outfeed rolls 24 and sewing machine 28 are driven at predetermined relative speeds by a common shaft 44, powered through clutch 45 by drive shaft 45, which may be connected to any suitable source of power, not shown. Shaft 44 drives the sewing machine by means of pulley 4l mounted thereon and belt 48, which is also engaged to a, pulley 49 of suitable diameter mounted on the stub shaft 59, supported on platform 22 adjacent the sewing machine. From the pulley 52 mounted on stub shaft 59, a belt 53 is connected directly to the sewing machine pulley 54. In this manner, the sewing machine is driven by shaft 44 at relatively high speed.

By means of sprocket 55 and chain 59, rotation of shaft 44 is also transmitted to sprocket 51 of reduction gear box 58, and thence through sprockets 59 and 69 and chain 62 'to the shaft 53. By means of sprocket 64 mounted adjacent one end of shaft 63, the rotation thereof is transmitted directly through chain 65 to sprocket 69 fixedly mounted on shaft 39 near one end of lower outfeed roll 24. In this manner, the lower outfeed roll is driven at all timesY at predetermined speed relative to that of the sewing machine, although at much slower rate. The surfaces of the outfeed rolls are preferably roughened, and the upper outfeed roll being constantly urged toward the lower, the upper outfeed roll is satisfactorily driven from the lower by frictional engagement. Obviously, the upper and lo-wer outfeed rolls may be interengaged by suitable gearingor otherwise, if desired.

As an outstanding feature of the mechanism, means are provided to stop the sewing machine and outfeed rolls simultaneously in the event the sewing machine fails to satisfactorily apply the desired line of overedging. In the exemplary embodiment, a bracket 97 is aiXed to the frame of the machine intermediate the sewing machine Y and outfeed rolls, disposed transverselyV in operative alignment with the edge of the cloth length being worked upon. As best shown in Figures 5 and 8, bracket B1 carries a pivot 58, upon which a contact arm 59 is pivotally mounted. At the lower end of the contact arm, a foot 19 is adjustably aixed thereto, as by the bolt 'l2 extending through the foot and arcuate slots 13 of the contact arm. At its Yupper end, the contact arm supports electrical contact 14, mounted at the end of bolt 15, which is adjustably secured to the contact arm by means of nuts 79. By means of plate 11 supported on the frame, electrical contact '19 is similarly disposed, in adjacency to contact 14. The contacts 14 and 19 constitute a switch connected by conductor 'i9 and 89 in series with a solenoid operated three-way air valve192.

The air valve l82 is conveniently mounted on one of the standards of the machine frame, as best shown in Figure 5, and pressure air is conducted thereto from a suitable source 8| (Figure 19) through tube 83. A flexible tube 94 leads from the air valve to single acting pneumatic cylinder 95, pivotally or otherwise suitably mounted at its lower end onto the machine frame. Cylinder 85 is provided with an elongated piston rod 199, eX- tending therefrom through a suitable opening provided therefor in the strap 49, by which the outer end of the rod is retained and guided. A stop r8'? limits outward movement of the piston rod. Midway of its length, the piston rod carries y A a pair of lic-itaiiling collars 98, 'which serve to' retain helical springs 199, between which is disposed Y the apertured end portion 99 of clutch arm 92, extending from clutch 45 in the common drive for the sewing machine and outfeed rolls. The clutch 45, it will be understood, is of conventional type, operable into and out of engagement by swinging movement of the radially extending arm 92 associated therewith.

In order for the outfeed rolls 2d and friction bar 25 to function effectively to maintain constant tension in the cloth length therebetween, it is essential that the cloth be supplied to the friction bar in substantially untensioned state. The power required to unreel a heavy cloth roll is both considerable and variable, because of inertia and other factors, and in the present invention is supplied through feed rolls I8, effective to maintain between therfeed rolls and friction bar 25 the free loop 29. To maintain the free loop, the drive of the feed rolls is controlled thereby, shortening of the loop being effective to start the feed rolls and lengthening of the loop operating to stop the feed rolls.

As shown, lower feed roll I8 is driven by motor '93, the motor shaft 94 being engaged in driving relationship by sprocket 95 and chain 96 Vto the sprocket 91, affixed to an end of the lower feed roll shaft 98. The lower feed roll is freely rotatable relative Vto shaft 98, but may be engaged thereto by means of the clutch indicated generally at 99 (Figure 3), comprising a driving member |99 engagedto shaft 98 and a driven member |92 ainxed to the lower feed roll. The clutch members |99 and |92 may be leather faced or similarly conventionally constructed. As in the case of the outfeed rolls, the feed rolls may have suitably roughened surfaces, and the upper feed roll may be resiliently urged toward the lower, whereby the upper feed roll is frictionally driven by the lower.

To the end of the lower feed roll opposite clutch 99 is rotatably affixed a collar |93, pivotally engaged to yoke portion |94 of lever |95, which is pivotally mounted on the frame by pin |96. Collar |93, it will be understood, is connected to member |02 of the clutch 99 so that axial displacement of the collar results in corresponding axial displacement of member |92 into and out of engagement with the driving clutch member |99.

Means are provided below pivot pin |99 of the lever to actuate the lever and thereby the collar |93. As best shown in Figure 3, a single acting pneumatic cylinder |91 is suitably secured to the frame, its piston rod |98 being pivotally engaged to lever |95, whereby extension thereof will effect movement of collar |93 in the opposite direction and consequent engagement of clutch 99. Secured to the'lower end of lever |95 and to some stationary portion of the mechanism, such as the body of cylinder |91, is provided a tension spring |99, which tends to maintain the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder in retracted position, and the clutch 99 in disengagement. Pressure air is conducted to the pneumatic cylinder from a suitable source through tube ||9 to a conventional solenoid operated three-way air valve |I2, and thence through the tube I|3 to the cylinder.

Over trough I9 and within the loop 29 formed by the cloth length is mounted a switch H4, connected in series by conductors ||5 and H9 with the solenoid of valve H2. As best shown in Figures 1, 6 and l0, an. annular cam Il pro- Vvidedwith a surface indentation |13 is rotatablyr mounted in operative relationship with switch arm ||9 of the switch II4. At its outer end, switch arm I'I9 carries the cam following roller |120. From cam |1|1 an elongated arm |2`| depends, formed at its lower end into a cross bar l"|22, disposed parallel to the `plane of the cloth length and of a length corresponding substantially to the width of the cloth. Arm IZI and cross bar |22 are preferably constructed of light weight materials, for reasons presently apparent.

`The Voperation of the mechanism Vwill now be Adescribed in detail. A roll I6 of cloth I1 being suitably placed upon the bearings I4, the cloth end may be threaded through feed rolls I8, thencedownwardly into trough I9 below cross bar |22 lof control arm II2I, and thence upwardly over guide roller 2| and across the platform 22 -o'f the device. After placement of the cloth thereunder, the friction bar 25 may be positioned fand suitably anchored, vand adjusted `to frictionally engage the cloth length to the desired extent and thereby govern the tension inthe length between the friction bar and the outfeed rollers. The tensioning effect lof the friction bar may be adliusted by means of wing nut 21, by employing .barsof different weights, or by similar expedient.

The vsplit edge of the cloth length, of course, `will be on the side corresponding to the position fofsewing machine 28. The split edge is threaded therethrough and the cloth length then placed .between the outfeed rolls 24. To facilitate this end, the outwardly extending end vof `lever 43 may be depressed downwardly, and the upper `outfeed roll 24 lifted against the pressure of springs 31.

The foot. 10 of contact arm. BSis so adjusted l "that when resting upon the `iunstitched thickness of the cloth length, the electrical contacts 1'4 and T8 will `abut Veach other. As the line of overedging |23 is applied by the sewing machine, the foot'l0A will ride Vthereon (see Figures 3 and 9), and the extra thickness thereof will raise the foot and cause the contact arm to be pivoted about pivot 68, wherebycontact 14 will be displaced out of engagement with the contact 18.

Power being supplied through drive shaft 46, clutch 45 and shaft 44, the outfeed rolls and sewing machine will be driven at predetermined constant relative speeds, whereby the line of overedgi-ng applied by the sewing machine will be at all times uniform. In the event of breakage of the thread from one 'of the Dobbins` 29, -or other malfunctioning resulting in failure of the sewing machine to apply the line of stitching I 23, substantially immediately after such failure the foot 10 will drop over the end of the line of stitching and the contact arm 69 will rotate contact 14 against contact 18, whereby a circuit will be completed therethrough and through the solenoid of air valve 82, whereupon the air valve will be opened and piston rod 86 of pneumatic cylinder 85 caused to extend outwardly. Through the medium of retaining collars 88 and springs 89, the outward movement of the piston rod will cause corresponding rotation of the clutch arm 92, which is effective, it will be understood, to disengage clutch 45, whereupon the outfeed rolls and the sewing machine simultaneously come to a. stop due to the friction of these elements and the drive system therefor.

In such event, the outfeed roll lifting lever 43 serves to facilitate withdrawal of the cloth length to the point at which stitching failure occurred, and the stitching failure may be corrected by replacement of the thread or similar required adjustment, and theoperation of .the sewing machine and outfeed rolls then restarted, as Lby rotating the contact arm B9 to lift foot 1.0. Breaking ofthe oircuit'through contacts `I4 and 18 deenergizes the solenoid of valve 82, .permitting'the piston rod 86 to return to retracted position, whereby the clutch arm 92 is rotated in a manner causing engagement of clutch 4'5.

As previously indicated, the cloth length intermediate the outfeed rolls andthe friction bar is at rall times uniformly tensioned, thereby .facilitating and improving the stitching operation. This, of course, would be impossible if clothI was drawn to the friction 'bar directly from a heavy cloth roll. In the present invention, however, cloth is supplied to the friction bar through a free loop, by the feed rolls I8. The shaft 98 Vof the lower feed roll is -driven as previously set forlth by the motor 93. The action of clutch 99, however, by `which the feed roll is engaged to shaft 98, is controlled by pneumatic cylinder |01, through its piston rod |00, lever |05 and the collar |03. Spring |09 functions to maintain lever |05 and collar I 03 in normal position, corresponding to disengagement of clutch 99.

In the event the free loop 20 is shortened, as 'by starting of outfeed rolls 24, the loop engages cross bar |22, of arm |2I, thereby rotating the arm and cross bar from their normal dependent position and rotating cam I|1 so that the roller of switch arm H9 is lifted out of the cam indentation I|8 and onto the outer periphery of the cam. This movement of the switch arm closes switch I4, whereby a circuit is completed therethrough, and through the solenoid of valve l| 2, which thereupon opens Iand permits pressure air from reservoir 8| to actuate cylinder |01 and displace its piston rod |08 outwardly. The outward movement of the piston rod displaces lever |05, vand causes corresponding movement of collar |03 in the opposite direction, whereby engagement of clutch 99 is effected. Engagement of the clutch causes rotation of the vfeed rolls with shaft 98, which rotation feeds the cloth length until the loop 20 is lengthened sufi'lciently to permit arm I2I to fall to its normal downward position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, at which point roller |20 of switch arm II9 falls into the cam indentation H0, and switch I`|4 is permitted to open, the spring |09 being effective in such case to return piston rod |08 and lever |05 to normal position corresponding to disengagement of clutch 99. Obviously, in the event of stoppage of the outfeed. rolls and sewing machine, the free loop 20 will immediately build up suiciently to permit opening of switch I I4, whereby the feed rolls will be similarly stopped.

The drive of feed rolls I8 is designed so that the rate of feed of the feed rolls exceeds that of outfeed rolls 24, so that during steady operation of the outfeed rolls, the feed rolls operate only intermittently to maintain within trough I9 a free loop adequate at all times to furnish a substantially untensioned length of cloth to the friction bar 25. The feed roll drive is adequate to overcome the inertia of and satisfactorily unwind cloth roll I 6, and functions in the mechanism to maintain the untensioned free loop 20 whereby the outfeed rolls 24 may operate in conjunction with friction bar 25 to maintain a cloth length therebetween of even tension at all times during operation. The arm |2I and cross bar |22 are preferably of light construction, so that displacement thereof causes substantially no tension in the cloth length approaching the friction bar.

The electrical and pneumatic systems of the machine are diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 10 of the drawings,gwherefrom the operation thereof will be entirely clear to those skilled in the art.

Due to the clutch mechanisms incorporated in the drive systems, and the controls therefor, the machine is particularly adapted for use in bat-V tery, it being apparent that drive` shafts 46V and 94 may be extended and employed to drive two or more machines of the same type. In this event, stoppage of the outfeed of one machine by reason of failure of the stitching operation thereof will in no way affect the continued operation of the other machines in the battery, and, similarly, theintermittent operation of the feed rolls of each machine will be independent of and not affect the corresponding operation of the feed rolls of the other machines in the battery.

While particularly adapted for applying overedging or other stitching to an edge of an velongated cloth length, it will be evident that the mechanism is not limited in utility to such specie purpose, but may be readily altered by mechanical adaptation to apply a line of stitching to the cloth length at points intermediate its edges.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a structure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is'to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a. limiting sense.

We claim:

1. Sewing mechanism comprising a pair 4of parallel, opposed, cooperating outfeed rolls adapted to displace an elongated cloth length between the bite thereof, frictional; means Vadapted to tension the cloth length approaching said outfeed rolls and riding transversely on said cloth length uniformly across its width, a sewing machine disposed intermediate said outfeed rolls and tensioning means and adapted to apply 5 stitching to the cloth length, means for driving said outfeed rolls and sewing machine at constantrelative speeds, feeler means adapted to ride the line of stitching intermediate said sewing machine and outfeed rolls, vand means actuated by said feeler means to'` deactivate said driving means inthe absence of stitching.

2. Sewing mechanism comprising a pair Vof parallel, opposed, cooperatingv outfeed rolls adapted to displace an elongated cloth length between the bite thereof, a platform disposed and adapted to support the cloth length approaching said outfeed rolls, frictional means associated with said platform adapted to tension the cloth length approaching said outfeed rolls and riding transversely on said cloth length uniformly across its width, a sewing machine disposed laterally of said platform intermediate said outfeed rolls and tensioning means and adapted to apply stitching to the cloth length, means lfor driving said outfeed rolls and sewing machine at constant relative speeds, a clutch in said driving means, a feeler adapted to ride the lineof stitching intermediate said sewing machine and outfeed rolls, a switch operated by said feeler, and means controlled by said switch operative to actuate said clutch.

3. Sewing mechanism comprising a pair of parc allel, opposed, cooperating outfeed rolls adapted to displace an elongated cloth length between the bite thereof, frictional means adapted to tension the cloth length approaching said outfeed rolls and riding transversely on said cloth length uniformly across its width, a sewing machine disposed intermediate said outfeed rolls and tensioning means and adapted to apply stitching to cloth length, means for driving said outfeed rolls and sewing machine `at constant relative speeds, means adapted to ride the Yline of stitching intermediate said sewing Vmachine and outfeed rolls and deactivate said driving means in the absence of stitching, and means for continuously and automatically supplyingun.- tensioned cloth to said tensioning means.`

FRANK R. PIPER. JAMES M. GARDNER.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 

